Our second foray into Belgium was built as a lazy one-day trip from the Hague. Ghent is hardly 2 hours away, and we’d heard several positive reviews about how beautiful the city is. We planned a more relaxed spring trip without taking on too much. 

 

Ghent is framed by four massive churches, some resembling ornate castles. The first church we visited was Saint Michael’s church. This is a really interesting church because the usual Gothic-style tower was abandoned halfway through its construction. Eventually, a roof, very out of place with the rest of the church, was built over the half-finished tower. 

 

The Saint Nicholas Church is even older than the Saint Michael’s church, with a fully finished tower. The uniqueness of this church comes from where the tower is positioned, which is right in the middle of the church as opposed to the entrance or the sides. The Saint Michael’s church also hosts a large organ that is occasionally used in concerts. After visiting these massive churches, we still had two more churches on our itinerary. Saint Bavo’s cathedral is the third of Ghent’s famous churches. We were able to spot a beautiful painting by the van Eyck brothers that graces this church. Lastly, we visited Saint Jacob’s church, a smaller, more modest affair yet still exhibiting the iconic gothic architecture of the other three churches. 

 

Viewing all four of Ghent’s churches from the St. Michael’s bridge is possible. After our tryst with the churches, we wandered around the city’s little streets and alleys, finally arriving at the Castle of the Counts. However, seeing the crowd at the ticket counter, we decided to table the castle for our next visit. We had already researched a wonderful Cinnabon shop called Have a Roll. If there is one thing you do in Ghent, please go to this shop! It is entirely vegan and wildly popular. Each batch of cinnamon rolls is freshly baked and gone in 20 minutes. We thoroughly enjoyed our Cinnabon as we sat and chatted in front of the shop. Walking through Ghent, we chanced upon a beautiful little back alley covered with the most vibrant and thoughtful graffiti. The perspective and artistry were stunning and spurred a conversation about how art is defined in exclusive and exclusionary ways. Graffiti artists often face exclusion from spaces and places and may find their means of expression precarious. At the same time, their art is more accessible to various audiences.

 

We love that travelling to a different place can help open your mind to new possibilities, circumstances, and social issues! We concluded our day trip with a quick meal at an Indian restaurant, excited to explore Belgium further. 

 

Quick travel itinerary:  

1. 1. 4 churches - Ghent
2. 2. St. Michael’s bridge 
3. 3. Castle of the Counts 
4. 4. Have a Roll 
5. 5. Graffiti street